Wrist band attaching means for wrist watches



Sept. 6, 1938. 1 DINHQFR 2,129,494 WRIST. BAND ATTAGHING MEANS FOR WRISTWATCHES Filed Jan. 20, 1938 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 6, 1938 WRIST BANDATTACHING MEANS FOR WRIST WATCHES Julius Dinhofer,

Application January zo, 193s, serial No. 185,831

6 Claims.

This invention relates to band attachmentmeans for wrist watches. Theobject of the invention is to provide a simplified means for attachingor connecting the ends of. a wrist band or strap to a wrist watch. Theconstruction of the improved device is such as to greatly facilitate theattachment or removal of the wrist band and provide a secure andpositive means of attachment so that the possibility of the watchbecoming inadvertently disconnected from the wrist band and accordinglylost will be avoided.

According to present construction, the opposite ends of a wrist watchare each provided with a pair of lugs between which a rod or bar extendsand the same passes through a permanentlyformed loop on the end of thewrist band. The rod or bar which connects the two lugs is usuallyprovided with spring-pressed studs at its ends which snap intoengagement with holes provided in the lugs. An arrangement of thischaracter is of relatively delicate construction, and to disconnect theends of the wrist strap or band when it is desired to replace the band,often requires the use of tools. Also, it often occurs that whenreplacing a wrist band the studs do not firmly engage the holes in thelugs and the band becomes later inadvertently disengaged from the watchand the watch lost.

With my improved Wrist band connection means, the cross bar or rodextending between the lugs may, if desired, be made integral with thelugs and may thus be of sturdy construction. Also, with my improvedconnection means, the ends of the wrist band may be very easily engagedthe bar or rod from its position between the lugs, so that thepossibility of the watch becoming lost by faulty replacement of the baris prevented.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an embodiment of the invention isshown, Fig. 1 is a face view of a part of a Wrist watch showing one ofthe ends of a wrist band attached thereto according to my invention,with parts of the band broken away to disclose construction; Fig. 2 is aview of. the rear face of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the stiiening member in its folded position, butremoved from within the wrist band; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on theline 4--4 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is aface view of one end of the wrist band before the same is bent into loopformation; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 ofl Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows.

about the bar or rod without requiring removal of y In the drawing, Iindicates the case of a wrist watch of conventional construction, suchcase being provided ateach of its ends with the two spaced lugsindicated at 2, connected by the cross bar or rod 3 in the usual way.This crossbar or rod 3 may be of the removable kind, or it may be apermanent member extending between the two lugs 2 and formed integraltherewith. The wrist band or strap 4 may be formed of any suitableflexible material such as leather, fabric, or the like, and it ispreferably composed of several layers or plies, two of which are shownat 5 and 6 which are stitched together at their edges along longitudinallines as at I. Sandwiched between the two layers or piles 5 and 6, nearthe end of the band,kis a metal plate or stifening member 8 held inposition by means of the stitches 5 and 6 and also by means oftransversely extending stitches 9 and I i), or other additionalstitching if necessary.

L The position of the strip 8 before being bent or doubled over to loopformation is shown in Fig. 5. Near one of its ends the strip 8 isprovided with a pair of spaced, upwardly extending spring projections ortongues II and it is. also provided with additional projections I2 andI3 separated from the projections I I by means of an intervening spaceI4. All of the projections II, I2 and I3 are formed by distorting themetal of the body of the strip 8.

The band 4 is provided near its end with a cut-out opening I5 extendingthrough the ply 5 and through which that portion of the strip providedwith the various projections I I, I2 and I3 is exposed, as clearly shownin Figs. 2 and 5. In placing the band on the watch, the end of the sameis inserted between the watch and the bar 3 and the band and enclosedstiening member 8 is bent to loop formation on the transverse line I6 inFig. 5. The stiffening member or strip 8 in the bent or doubled-overformation is shown in Fig. 3.

A sliding metal loop member I1 extends around the band and it isarranged to be forcibly moved into the space I4 between the projectionsII, I2 and I3. The loop member I1 is formed on its under side with adepressed portion I8 which moves between the spring projections II andcomes into contact or abutment with the stopy I3. The additional stopsI2 impinge against the ends .of the band so that when the band is movedtoward the watch, its movement in that direction is limited by the stopsI2 and I3. The spring projections or tongues I I, co-operating with xedstops I2 and I3 confine it within the space I4 2 and hold it againstinadvertent displacement. It will remain in the space I4 until it ismanually drawn over the spring tongues II and moved in a direction awayfrom the Watch when it is desired to remove the band from its attachmentto the watch. The metal comprising the strip 8 is of sufficientstiffness to cause the band to maintain its looped portion, and the loopI'I, locked in position in the space I 4 as heretofore described,provides a closed loop affording a secure means for holding the ends ofthe wrist band attached to the watch.

What I claim is:

l. A device of the character described Icomprising, a Wrist Watch bandcomposed of Lses/'eral plies secured together, a flat metal stripAdisposed between the plies adjacent one end ofthe band, the band andthe strip being iboth #doubled over to form a bar-embracing loop, saidstri-p vhaving spaced stops, the band having an opening in one "of itsplies through which .said stops are exposed, .and .a l'o'op `memberextending around the band and :adaptedrto be ,.movedfto embrace thedoubled-over Yportions v.thereof and when so moved to 'be disposed:between and .restrained by the stops.

2.Ardevice 4of the character described comprising a wrist band vcomposedof two plies stitched together, 'a strip of nat metal located betweenLthe fpliesfof lthe band near one end .thereo, .said .strip beingadapted .to normally retain said end Yof the band in looped position,one of the iplies `of the 'band being `formed with an aperture throughwhchla portion of the strip is exposed, a loop surrounding the band `andadapted to be :moved to surround the doubled-over portions :thereof toholdv the end of the .band in looped formation, andlrneans on theexposed portion .ofthe strip for engaging said loop and holding it inposition around fthe doubled-over portions of the band.

.3. A device of the character Adescribed comprising a wrist :band havinga 'flat metal strip inserted within it at one of its ends, said stripand band having portions .in doubled-over forma- ;posed, a loop memberextending around the band,

and spaced projections on the exposed portion of the strip'between whichthe loop is engaged when said -loop overlies the exposed portion of thestrip.

5. Avdevce of the character described, a Wrist Yhandhaving a stiffeningmember disposed Within and fa'dapted to hold said band in doubled-overposition at one of its ends When the band and contained stiffeningmember are transversely folded together., a loop Aadapted to embrace thedoubled-over parts Vof .the ,band land .stiffening member Land :hold.the same in looped `formation around .a wrist watch bart, `vand meanscarried by the stiiiening `:member for hold-ing the loop in position`aroun'dsad doubled-over parts.

y5. AA .fdevi'ce of the .character `described comprising -a 'wrist )bandLcomposed fof Atwo plies. stitched together, a vstrip of at metallocated between the-plies v'of the band nearone end'thereof, said strip'and band being doubled-over to normally retain said band in'doubled-over or looped formation vraround a"Wrist-watch ba'r, one o'fthe 'plies of the "band being 'formed with an opening through which a.portion of the strip is exposed, a 'loop extending around the band andadapted .to `be moved to Aoverlie the exposed portion of the ystr-ip andsurround the doubledover lportions of the band Ato `hold the :band inloop orma-tion, :said :exposed portion of Athe strip being formed withprojections between'which'the loopiisienga'ge'd when the loopao'verliesLthezexposed portion-'of the lstrip.

- JULIU S DIN-HOFER.

